Leon Wentworth Sivyer (Another Bricky)

Leon Wentworth Sivyer the son of Frederick James Sivyer was born in in 1898 at Ashfield, NSW Australia, He died on 13 Jan 1945 in Innisfail, Queensland Australia at age 47, and was buried on 21 Jan 1945 in Innisfail, Queensland Australia.

Leon Wentworth was also known as "Brickie" Sivyer. An obituary that appeared in the Cairns Post is below.

Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909 - 1954), Tuesday 16 January 1945, page 3

LEON WENTWORTH SIVYER.

INNISFAIL, Jan. 15.-With the death during the weekend of Leon Wentworth ("Bricky") Sivyer at the age of 47, South Johnstone has lost an esteemed resident; For many years he was employed at South Johnstone mill. "He was of an inventive turn of mind," said the manager of the South Johnstone Co-operative Sugar Mill (Mr. W. Richardson). "His apparatus, known as 'The Sivyer Continuous Cane Sampling Device, for a long time has been used at South Johnstone and Babinda." He was also responsible for an apparatus at the mill carrier when loaded trucks were being tipped, and recently he secured a provisional patent for a fugal charge device. Mr. Richardson said that be deeply regretted the passing of an old and trusted mill employee. Deceased leaves a wife and family and other relatives. A brother (Vic. Sivyer), is also a resident of South Johnston, and for a number of years the latter was a councillor of the Johnstone Shire. The funeral of the late Mr. l. W. Sivyer took place on Sunday.


Leon married Dorcas Addison Hamill in 1926 in #C2766 QLD Reg.

The Other Hunter River Sivyer

The following information has been sourced from Free Settler or Felon? - Newcastle and Hunter Valley History.  https://www.jenwilletts.com. Also the newspaper references have been obtained from Trove.

John F Sivyer and Lydia Turk had five sons who emigrated from Sussex in 1835. John and Lydia and four sons and they went to the Milwaukee area of the United States . The four sons were Joseph, William, Samuel and Henry. William Sivyer had a son Charles Milwaukee Sivyer He was the first male anglo birth in Milwaukee, his parents arrived in 1835, he was born in May of 1836.  What is known of this strange emigration of Reuben at 16 years to the Hunter River area is that they obviously were in communication given the notice of deaths of Reuben's father and brother in the local papers of the Hunter River area.
For those who do travel to modern day Milwaukee in the United States, Sivyer Steel Corporation which is a product of this emigration of Sivyers to the United States is still a major enterprise employing 320 people.

Charles Milwaukee Sivyer did travel to Australia and was in the colony of Victoria in 1858 and at Ballarat when his name appeared in the paper regarding mining interests. For those who what a very definitive story of his early life and his marriage to an Australian girl here is a web link. In this article he talks about his uncle Reuben and what in the states it would be called his ranching interests. A man of adventure and story telling and a great read of his life.

https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Newspaper/BA11315

Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), Thursday 1 August 1867, page 1

DEATHS.

On the 16th of January, 1867, at the residence of his son-in-law,

Mr. Marsh, of Milwaukee, United States America, John Sivyer, aged 85 years, father of Reuben Sivyer, of Eccleston, Upper Allyn River. 

Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843 - 1893), Saturday 20 December 1873, page 1

DEATH.

SIVYER. — July 9th, at 10.25 p.m., Joseph Sivyer, in the 55th year of his age. 
"Death of Joseph Sivyer. — Another of the pioneers of Milwaukee has passed away. Mr. Joseph Sivyer, one of the Sivyer family of four brothers who settled here in our villagehood, died yesterday at the age of fifty-five. Like all the Sivyers he was a quiet, steady worker, and by earnest, honest efforts achieved a competency. The deceased leaves his family and friends the example of a pure unblemished character, and the memory of a kind and generous nature." — Milwaukee Sentinel, U.S., July 11, 1873. 
The above mentioned Joseph Sivyer was brother to Reuben Sivyer, Sen., of Eccleston, Upper Allyn River. 

Reuben Sivyer was born about 1822 in Wadhurst, East Sussex, a son of John and Lydia Sivyer. Reuben was a Brickmaker in 1838.

Reuben Sivyer immigrated on 27 November 1838 to Sydney, New South Wales, on board the "Lady Nugent", having left London on 23 July 1838 with 239 other passengers.Reuben went to do "piece work" with Mr George Brooker, on the Paterson River, NSW, according to the Return: Dispersal of Immigrants.

Reuben Sivyer married Sarah Alice Newman on 10 September 1845 at the Church of England in Houghton, New South Wales.He and Sarah Alice Sivyer lived at "Eccleston", Allyn River in Allynbrook, New South Wales, where they were landowners in 1855.Reuben was the Postmaster at Eccleston in Paterson, New South Wales, in 1867.

Reuben Sivyer died in 1886 in Paterson, New South Wales.

Above are the children of Reuben and Sarah Sivyer (Image sourced from Flikr)

The children of Reuben Sivyer and Sarah Newman are listed below. This information is from the New South Wales Births, Deaths and Marriages records. All births are recorded in the district of Paterson. 

Eliza Louisa Sivyer Born: 1846

William George Sivyer Born:1847

Elizabeth Jane Sivyer Born:1849

Louisa Alice Sivyer Born: 1850

Lucy Caroline Sivyer Born:1852

Reuben Sivyer Born:1855

Sarah Anne Sivyer Born: 1857

Henry John Sivyer Born: 1859

Lydia Alberta Sivyer Born:1861

Joseph Newman Sivyer Born:1863

Rosa Helena Sivyer Born: 1864

Victoria Mary Sivyer Born 1868

Samuel Robert Peter Newman Sivyer Born: 1870

Unknown Name Sivyer Born: 1872

Blanche Rosa Sivyer Born: 1873.

A legacy left in the district of Paterson by Reuben and Sarah Sivyer.

There is no factual evidence currently that can be found to match the John Sivyer and Lydia Turk of Sussex to our William Sivyer and Elizabeth Burt. One has to only look at some of the coincidences in history to think that with DNA testing evolving there will be sometime in the future when we will have a conclusion to this Sivyer family connection.

Stephen Sivyer (Son of William and Elizabeth)

On Wednesday July 26, 1843 this advertisement appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald.

JAMES SIVYER, from Landhurst, Kent, left England in 1839, will hear from his brother Stephen Sivyer, by directing to William Coleman, 5, George-street, Sydney.

James and Harriet Sivyer had by this time been in the colony of New South Wales for over 4 years. 

Stephen Sivyer son of William Sivyer and Elizabeth Burt had emigrated on the "Maitland" and arrived in Sydney with his wife Mary Stannard in November 1838.

What led James to place an advertisement in the newspaper? It does appear that Stephen may never have connected back to the very close James Sivyer and Frederick John Goodsell families of the Newtown and St. Peters areas of Sydney. His other brother William and wife Hannah Hawkins were in the Hunter or Maitland area of the colony of NSW. 

Stephen died in Bowenfels in 1880. From newspaper reports he appears to have lived his life in the area around Bowenfels, Hartley and Hassan Wells. These three places are all close together near Lithgow, NSW. What is know from a report in the Methodist newspaper of 1910 is that Stephen like his siblings maintained a strong connection to the Methodist religion.

Methodist (Sydney, NSW : 1892 - 1954), Saturday 22 January 1910, page 8

OUR CONTRIBUTORS.

MY SECOND CIRCUIT.

BY OLD TRAVELLER.

Leaving my parents, and my friend, Mr. Robert Burns, in Parramatta, I went by coach to Penrith. The Rev. Tlios. Skewes who preceded me . in the cir cuit, had ridden the circuit horse so far, and had left him with an innkeeper named Kemble. Mr. Kemble promised to have the horse ready on the following morning, but when brought in from the paddock he was found to require shoeing. But here was a difficulty, to find a blacksmith to shoe him, for this was Good Friday. However, after considerable negotiation, the horse was shod, and I started off my journey.

Some of the forenoon was now gone, and I had only a short day 'for a ride over the mountains. I crossed the Nepean by Punt-road, through Emu Plains, and up Lapstone Hill, and entered the far-famed Blue Mountains. All of this was new to me. Instead of being able to reach Sheringhani's, at the foot of Mount Victoria, I could only make Pulpit Hill. To my surprise, I found that the innkeeper was a Mr. Gregor McGregor. I knew the name very well, for Mr. Mc Gregor had been a sergeant-major in the Army, and a member of my father's class, in Parramatta, and it did seem strange that a professing Christian should be keeping an inn, for I was always taught to believe that the business of grog-selling was one upon which we could not ask God's blessing. I told him who I was, and that I thought it strange to find him there. He made some excuse about providing a livelihood for his family. Resuming my journey the next morning, Bowenfells was the farthest that. I could go, and as that was in my Circuit, and indeed it was called Bowenfells Circuity I put up at the hospitable home of Mr. Stephen Sivyer. This, was a station of some years standing in the Conference Minutes. I was told that the Rev. John Pemell used to go from this place away through the mountains to Rylstone, to preach to the people there. It was said that Mr. Pemell carried his snack with him, and about half way lie had his quart pot in a safe place in the bush, arriving there he would boil the billy and have his lunch. This minister did some fine pioneering work between Bowenfells, Rylstone, and Mudgee. Mr. Sivyer had bought a lot of a couple of acres, and had a small orchard, a nursery, and a vegetable garden. He took care of the church, in a substantial stone building. He was our principal member, and society steward, and right heartily did he cater for his minister's comfort. On Monday duty led me on to Meadow Flat, where the Scott family lived. .........

More of the Stephen Sivyer story to follow....

Where On The Map Did They Come From

The south east corner of England is sometimes called the "salad bowl of England". The area was and still is a rich agricultural area. Today it is well connected by train into Central London and has now become a popular place to live whilst maintaining a traditional English village lifestyle. The Sivyer, Goodsell and Hawkins surname are synonymous with the counties of Sussex and Kent. This area today is still the most populated area in the United Kingdom when searching for the name Sivyer in any type of directory.

Towns or villages that the families were baptised, married and emigrated from include Hawkhurst, Wadhaurst, Salehurst, Peasmarsh, Iden, Dallington, Ticehurst, St. Giles, Sandhurst, Rye and Hastings.

Sivyer and Goodsell Christian Names

For those doing family research having the same name used multiple times across different generations can be cause a few headaches. The cross checking of birth and death dates plus parent names is required as well. Names such Frederick, Frederick James, Elizabeth, Harriet, Spencer, Henry, Joseph, Stephen, Catherine, James, and Frederick John and many more appear in combinations and as individual names.

Also the use of Sivyer as a middle christian name or the mothers family maiden name is also used as in Eva Ethel Coram Sivyer. 

Then we have the multiple christian names as in James Spencer Alexander and Archie Ernest William Carvasso Sivyer born to Spencer Sivyer. Which Spencer Sivyer you may ask? Well that is where the reader has to do the research. Spencer Sivyer b:1833 who married Elizabeth Hogg Bathgate.

Moving back in the generations of Sivyer christian names (1600 - 1750) it is more a single name and more of the simplistic common name. In the men names such as John, Stephen, George, James, William David, Samuel, Henry and Thomas. For the women there are names such as Elizabeth, Harriet, Sarah Ann, Sophia, Ellen, Jane, Caroline, Mary Ann, Hannah, Martha and Rebecca.

One of the more unusual is the name Sivyer used a first christian name in the person SIvyer Rootes. Now this is unusual and it has been very difficult to connect where the marriage took place of a Sivyer and a Roote but the family name Playford is connected. The common factor in all of these names moving back into the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries is that they came from the Sussex area and were Wesleyan Methodist. When emigration occurred they were all around the Camden and Picton areas. 

Cootamundra Herald (NSW : 1877 - 1954), Tuesday 29 May 1951, page 2

DEATH OF FORMER POLICE SUPT.

The death occurred at Lewisham Private Hospital of Sivyer John Rootes, ex-superintendent of police, of 87 Fox street, Wagga, at the age of 92 years. He was born on October 27, 1858 at Cobbitty, near Camden. At the age of 20, Mr. Rootes joined

the N.S.W. Police Force. He was first stationed at Adelong, arriving there two days after the Kelly gang shot the police. For the following four months he was engaged in pursuit of the Kelly gang. From Adelong he was sent to Jugiong, and from there to Urana. While in charge of that district, he distinguished himself in the handling of the Brookong Riot. After 13 years' service in charge of the Tumut district he was promoted to inspector at Wilcannia. He remained there for two years and was then

placed in charge of the Gundagai sub-district. , In May, 1914, Mr. Rootes was promoted to Deniliquin as superintendent in charge of the South Western district. Four years later he retired. He was presented, with the King's Medal for meritorious service. On his retirement, he settled in Wagga. Always interested in land and stock, he bought a small property and engaged in dealing and cattle raising. He is survived by two sisters Jane (Mrs. Moore, of Enfield,) and Amy (Wagga). The funeral will take place tomorrow afternoon. The cortege will leave St. John's Church of England, after a service to start at 2 o'clock, for the Wagga cemetery.

Harriet Sivyer (Coram)

Harriet Sivyer (Coram) Born 3rd December 1852 in Devonport, Devon, England to Thomas and Harriet Coram. Thomas was a blacksmith as recorded in the census of 1861. In the 1861 census Harriet was living with her siblings Henry (b1846) and Mary (b1855). In the 1871 census she is a recorded as 18 years of age and a servant to the head of house at 14 Paradise Flat, Stoke Demeral, Devon. Harriet's grandfather George Coram was a Victualler (father of Thomas Coram).  He was possibly the landlord of the King & Queen at 24 Cornwall Street. William Crossman the father of Harriet Crossman was a Cordwainer.
Birth details for Harriet's parents:
Thomas Coram, born about 1825, Devonport, Devon
Harriet Crossman, born about 1825, Devonport, Devon
Thomas & Harriett married on 6 February 1846, Parish Church of East Stonehouse
At the time of their marriage, both Thomas and Harriett were of full age.  Thomas lived in Union Lane, East Stonehouse and Harriett in Buckingham Place. When first married they lived in Union Lane, East Stonehouse. Thomas & Harriett had three children Henry, Harriett and Mary.  Henry was born about 1847, Devonport, Devon. As stated previously Harriett was born 3rd December 1852, at 53 Monument Street, Devonport, Devon. Mary her younger sister was born 25 April 1855, 53 Monument Street, Devonport, Devon and died 27 March 1929, 15 Morice Street, Devonport from Apoplexy and Chronic Nephritis.  Her burial took place on 30 March 1929 at Weston Mill Cemetery.  
Thomas Coram (Harriet's father) is recorded in an online document of Devon Blacksmiths compiled by Ann Spiro. The information recorded is as follows. Thomas Coram, blacksmith. Born about 1825 in Devonport, Devon, England. Thoams and Harriet Crossman, married 06 February 1846 at Parish Church of East Stonehouse, Devon.

Thomas and Harriet Coram 1903

On the 15th March 1879 at 26 years of age Harriet left London on board the ship "Earl Derby" bound for Brisbane, Queensland. She is listed as one of the 220 free (still government assisted) passengers on the shippping list of the "Earl Derby". This means she was sponsored by the Queensland Government to come out and work in the new colony of Queensland. Free passages were granted by the government to particular categories of immigrants, and their families, which were from time to time required in Queensland. These categories altered over the years as conditions in Queensland changed but included at various times domestic servants. Applicants were required to pay the sum of one pound each. To be eligible they had to be unable to pay their own passage. 

For those readers who are related to Harriet you can read the captain's shipping report of the journey from London to Brisbane below. Reported in the Brisbane Courier, Saturday June 28, 1879.
"Captain Colquhoun reports that the Earl Derby left Gravesend March 15 , with light winds and hazy weather; landed pilot at Bill of Portland, on 18th, when the wind sprang up in north-east and had a fine run to the Equator, which was crossed on April 5 in 27" W. longitude. The south-east trades were very poor and were Iost in 22° S. in 32° W. longitude, and from thence to Tristan d'Acunba, which was passed on 25th, had baffling and un-settled winds and weather, and calms thence on to the Cape, which was passed in 42° S. on May 8, had very dirty easterly and variable winds; crossed the meridian of St. Paul's on 23rd, in 42°S., and that of Cape Leeuwin on June 1; sighted the south-west cape of Tasmania on 9th, with moderate north-west winds, which continued all the way up the east coast ; made Cape Moreton on 16th, bearing South, twenty miles off; on 17th, at 6,30 a.m., pilot Botcher came on board and took charge ; on 20th Dr. Challinor cleared the ship, and were the same night towed up to Brisbane, anchoring in the stream, all well."

Immigration Depot William Street Brisbane 

A report from the Brisbane Courier of June 18, 1879 states; “The barque Earl Derby, from London, with immigrants, arrived in Moreton Bay yesterday. She has made a good passage of ninety-four days, and brings 337 souls, equal to 800 statute adults. The nationalities are as follow:- 231English,  88 Irish,  7 Scotch, and 7 other countries. There are forty-eight free and remittance passengers, 220 free, 38 remittance, and 31 full payers. The married men number 35, women 46, and the single men number 106, while the single females number 88. There are 26 male and 26 female children under 12 years of age, and 3 male and 2 female infants. The occupations of the various immigrants are as follow : 87 female servants, 125 farm laborers, 5 laborers,1 gardener, 2 tailors, 3 painters, 2 carters, and 1 cloth maker.”

 One would assume that Harriet was one of the 87 female servants and she came looking for work as a domestic servant. The colony of Queensland was at this time in the early years of growth and domestic servants were in demand. There are no other passengers of the same surname listed as it appears she left England like many woman of the late 19th century looking for a new life in the colonies.  The assisted migration scheme helped the new government of Queensland plan the workforce as well as increase the population growth. ​

When and how Harriet Coram moved to Bundaberg is unknown but by the year 1879 Bundaberg is an established town. Spencer Sivyer was in Bundaberg in 1881 as he was working on the Bundaberg to Mt. Perry railway. When Spencer met Harriet in Bundaberg is not known at this time but she was 28 years of age when she married Spencer.

One must not understate the role of Harriet as a wife and mother. Harriet had come from England in 1879 where she worked in middle class or wealthy homes. She was now in the hard tough bush life of rural Queensland. Her role would have been to provide the structure of home life for Spencer's Queensland children as they were born in railway sidings or railway accomodation throughout South East Queensland. Spencer would have lived in camp at many of the railway construction sites when the children were young. Spencer recognised her role and position in the Queensland Sivyer family by naming the Sivyer property at Tinbeerwah in 1891 "Devon Park" as a tribute to Harriet and her Devon heritage. Harriet died in Cooroy, Queensland on August 23, 1934 at the age of 81. Harriet was one of those Queensland pioneer women who helped establish the new colony and saw the transition of Queensland into statehood with the passing of federation in 1901.

Sivyers in Queensland

If you have a grandparent born in Queensland then you have more than a 90 per cent chance you are descended from either Spencer Sivyer or Frederick James Sivyer. You will then be descended from James Sivyer and Harriet Goodsell who emigrated in 1838 on the "Argyle" and landed in Sydney in April 1839.

Spencer Sivyer b: 1833 son of James and Harriet Sivyer came to Maryborough, Queensland in 1864 as a timber man. Spencer was 31 years of age and a skilled man when it came to timber. His story in New South Wales will be the topic of another post or you can read his story here. 

After the death of his first wife Elizabeth Hogg Bathgate in 1880 at Bundaberg he married Harriet Coram in Bundaberg in 1882.

Spencer then started a second family beginning with Eva Ethel Coram Sivyer born in Bundaberg in 1882. Spencer's two families of descendants spanned the birth period of 1852 to 1895. He had five children from the first marriage and seven children from the second marriage.

Frederick James Sivyer b: 1856 (James the Brickie) the son of Frederick John Sivyer and Catherine Bathgate moved to Queensland it is presumed around 1896 to Ipswich where a daughter Gladys Dorothea was born. He moves then to Stannary Hills west of Cairns in FNQ where daughter Nita Melba is born in 1898. 

To explain the relationship between the two men Spencer is an uncle to Frederick James as Frederick Jame's father Frederick John Sivyer is Spencer's older brother.

Both of these man had many characteristics in common. They had both been influenced by the Goodsell - Sivyer family association in New South Wales that was part of the early building and infrastructure development in that state. Both men moved where work was available regardless of the harshness of the conditions. They became skilled in their trades and professions and recognised for it. Their family situations were similar to all in that time. Hard living conditions on woman and children may have lead to early deaths. 

By the end of the 19th. century we have two Sivyer families in Queensland. One could say three families given the two family lines that Spencer produced from his two wives. The main point in history is that we have two Sivyer families directly related living in opposite ends of the vast state of Queensland. Both Spencer and Frederick James were substantial figures within their communities and professions. The Frederick James in FNQ some could say "legendary" in the brick making trade and Spencer (Inspector of Timbers QLD Rail) a dominant figure in the construction and maintenance of Queensland's early rail infrastucture. 

The Migration of William and Elizabeth Sivyer's Descendants

The following is taken from Jillian Lean's book "Woven Through Time A Treasured Heritage" Book Two:

Five of William's children with their families migrated to Australia between 1838 and 1863 and some of the descendants of his son John have also settled in Australia.

First to arrive was

1. Stephen and Mary November 1838 "Maitland"
2. James and Harriet April 1839 "Argyle"
3. Sara and Frederick April 1839 "Argyle"
4. WIlliam and Hanah September 1839 - "Neptune"
5. Elizabeth Sivyer and John Hawkins 1863 - "Spitfire"

In the above we have three family names. They are Sivyer, Goodsell and Hawkins.

The Sivyer siblings were by age William, Stephen, Elizabeth, James and Sarah Ann. The Goodsell siblings by age were Frederick John and Harriet. The Hawkins siblings were Hannah, Sophia and John. 

Jillian Lean in her book provides information to state that John Hawkins and Elizabeth Sivyer's son Jesse Hawkins and his wife Marriane arrived in Australia in August 1858 on "Grand Trianon"

So we have the following direct descendants of William Sivyer and Elizabeth Burt with their husbands or wives emigrating to Australia to start the generations of Australian born Sivyers and their descendants who are are living today.

William Spencer b: 1789

Stephen b: 1794

Elizabeth b: 1798

James b: 1799

Sarah Ann b: 1804

The following is taken from Ron Sivyer's document "The Story of The Family of William and Elizabeth Sivyer Who Emigrated to Australia"

The following Immigration Listings were obtained from the shipping records held in

the Sydney Archives.

SIVIER, William, 42 years in 1839

Male immigrant by the Government. Native of Hawkhinge, Kent, son of William (labourer) of same place and his wife, Elizabeth.

Labourer – 42 years old. Protestant.

Read and write.

By “Neptune” 2 September 1839.

SIVIER, Hannah, 38 years in 1839 Wife of William above

Native of Hawkhurst, Kent, daughter of Jesse (labourer) of same place and his wife, Sarah.

Religion – Protestant

Children: James 14 years, Joseph 12 years, Ellen 8 years.

By “Neptune” 26 September 1839.

Read and write.

SIVYER, Stephen, 19 years unmarried Male Native of Kent Son of Jojet Sivyer (labourer) of same place and Sarah his wife.

Labourer Protestant Ship “Maitland” P39 Vol 9

(see information below re this Stephen)

SIVYER, Stephen, 40 years 1838

Married (wife and child) By the Government Native of Kent (parish Forkes?. Son of William Sivyer (labourer) of same place and Elizabeth his wife.

Labourer Protestant Ship “Maitland” P78 Vol 9

In Colin King’s book, “The Beneden Bowdens” on page 18 he states, “other emigrants from Beneden included among others Mr and Mrs Stephen Sivyer and infant daughter.”

SIVYER, Mary

(she is named Mary in other documents) married female immigrant.

Native of Suffolk parish of Stanton, daughter of Thomas Stanton, labourer and his

wife Elizabeth

Housemaid – 33 years – Protestant

1 child, Mary Ann Sivyer, 10 years old

The only male who apparently is not the son of William and Elizabeth, mentioned above is the 19 year old Stephen. After much research on this person, it has been presumed that he is the son of Francis and Sarah Sivyer, as shown under Baptisms in the Sandhurst Parish Register. He was born on 28 March 1820. It is presumed, from this information, that this 19 year old Stephen was the nephew of the older Sivyers who emigrated to Australia and that “Jojet” was a family or nickname for his father, Francis.

SIVYER, (SIVIER, on shipping records), James

39 years in March 1839. Born 26 November 1799

Married, male immigrant, by the Government

Native of Hawkhurst, Kent, England.

Son of William Sivier, labourer of same place, and Elizabeth his wife, living there.

Religion, Wesleyan. Read and write. Agriculturalist.

Ship “Argyle” arrived Sydney 1 April 1839.

SIVYER, (SIVIER on shipping records), Harriet

36 years in November 1839

Wife of James above and native of Icclesham, Kent, England.

Daughter of John Goodsell, farmer of same place and Mary Goodsell, his wife living there.

Listed as dairymaid

Children – 3 boys and 2 girls

Religion – Wesleyan, reads and writes.

Children’s names are: Elizabeth 16 years, Frederick John 15 years, Stephen 11 years, Harriet 10

years and Spencer 6 years.

Notes taken from I.G.I. D.O. 356, Sussex Microfiche shows that there was an Emily Sivyer born to a James and Harriet Sivyer on 3 December 1826.

A list of these names have been recorded as Sivyer but with the added “or Seivyar”. Emily’s date of birth and her parents’ names show that she could have been another member of the family and possibly that she died before the family migrated to Australia.

Also on the “Argyle” with James and Harriet were John and Sarah Goodsell with their children, arriving in Sydney Cove as free settlers on 1 April 1839. Sarah Goodsell, wife of John Goodsell was a sister to James Sivyer.

James Sivyer’s Death Certificate states that two (2) sons predeceased him. It is presumed that one of these is Stephen as he is not mentioned as being among those living and the other is a Thomas who never came to Australia. His birth is recorded but no burial record has been found.

The Sivyer and Goodsell family who sailed from London on board the "Argyle" were emigrating under the New South Wales colonial government and British government's Bounty Scheme. The agent who was responsible for their shipping was James Marshall.

You can follow the journey of the "Argyle" in the following newspaper articles. 

Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), Thursday 21 February 1839, page 2

Ship News.

October.

Entered outwards for loading on the 19th October, the Thomas Harrison, Capt. Smith, for South Australia, and the Argyle, Capt. Gatenby, for Sydney.

Mr. Marshall's next ships after the Orient are the Susan, 572 tons, Capt. Neatby, to leave Plymouth on the 3rd December, and the Argyle, 597 tons, Capt. Gatenby to leave Plymouth on the 10th December.

Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), Tuesday 2 April 1839, page 2

Shipping Intelligence.

ARRIVALS.

From Plymouth, yesterday, whence she sailed the 12th December, the barque Argyle, 598 tons, Captain Gatenby, with 289 Emigrants and mer-chandise. Passengers, cabin-Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Saxton, Mr. James Satchell, Mr. Hargrave, Dr. Patterson, R. N. Surgeon Superintendent, and Mrs. Patterson. Agents, W. Walker & Co.

Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 - 1842), Wednesday 3 April 1839, page 2

SHIP NEWS

The Argyle arrived on Monday last, with two hundred and eighty-nine bounty emigrants. They consist of mechanics, labourers and farming men, all of whom, have arrived in a good state of health. During the voyage, one infant died and two were born. Captain Gatenby reports having spoken the Buckinghamshire, 1400 tons, on the 27th January ,forty-three days out from London, bound to Port Adelaide and Sydney, with emigrants: also the Severn, of London, bound to Madras, with merchandize…..

The Sivyer Churches in England

The churches of Hawkhurst, Peasmarsh, Dallington and Salehurst all figure prominently in the Sivyer family history. These churches are all in the East Sussex and Kent area not far from Maidstone. This web link will provide a pictorial of these churches.

Salehurst Parish Church where our William Sivyer was baptised on July 17. 1757.

  

William and Elizabeth Sivyer's Children

The following information is taken from Ron Sivyer's book "The Story of The Children of William and Elizabeth Sivyer Who Emigrtaed to Australia

WILLIAM

William SIVYER. Born 1789, at Hawkhurst. Married Hannah HAWKINS 1817.

William Spencer SIVYER son of William and Elizabeth, all from HAWKHINGE, Kent.

Arrived in Australia with his wife Hannah and 3 children on the "Neptune" 26 September 1839.

.

JAMES

The records of the HAWKHURST Parish Register show a James, son of William and Elizabeth being baptised on 26 November 1791.

A marriage was solemnised in the Parish of PEASMARSH, County of Sussex, between James Sivyer and Harriet Goodsell on 10 May 1823, by banns and with the consent of parents.

Shipping records show that the James who arrived here on 1 April 1839 was then 39 years. On the same record is the statement that he was baptised on 26 November 1799 and certified by one J. Hutchenson.

An extract from a book on the early days of Wesleyan Methodists in Australia is worthy of note here.

The extract reads:- "Amongst the emigrants on board the "Argyle" from England in 1839, only the Siviers(sic) of Ickelsham said that they were Wesleyans." Further on in the report it states:- "in the records of the Anglican Parish of Narellan and the Registers of Paramatta Wesleyan Circuit, we have the names of................( 16 families mentioned) and amongst them is the family of James Sivyer."

FRANCIS

Francis is from the HAWKHURST Parish Register, which shows that a Francis Sivyer was baptised on 1 December 1793, the son of William and Elizabeth Sivyer. and married

to a Sarah, with no maiden name given.

ELIZABETH SEIVER (sic).

The Hawkhurst Parish Register, shows the baptism of an Elizabeth SIVIER, daughter of William and Mary, on the 7 March 1798.

MARY ANN

The Hawkhurst Parish Register, shows a Mary Ann Sivyer, daughter of William and Elizabeth, baptised on 9 October 1803.

JOHN

Hawkhurst Parish Register shows, John Sivyer, son of William and Elizabeth being baptised on 6 January 1805.

HENRY

Henry Sivyer born in 1807 at SANDHURST, Kent, son of William and Elizabeth Sivyer.

HANNAH

 born 1809, at SANDHURST, Kent, and a daughter of William and Elizabeth Sivyer.

GEORGE

He was born 1812. He was born at SANDHURST,Kent and was the son of William and Elizabeth. 

SARAH

Shipping records show that Sarah arrived in Australia with her husband, one, Frederick John Goodsell. They show her as being the daughter of William and Eliza SIVIER, and that they were all native of AUGUSTIN, Kent. She was 35 years in 1839. She married, one, Frederick John Goodsell, of FAIRLIGHT. 

STEPHEN

The Society of Genealogists Library shows that a Stephen Sivyer arrived in Australia on the "Maitland" in 1838. According to this record he was then 40 years of age. If he was born 1798, then this date is the same as Elizabeth.

They also show that he was the son of William and Elizabeth Sivyer and that they were all native of Kent.

Please note that there were in all, three STEPHEN SIVYERS who emigrated to Australia during this era.

SAMUEL

Hawkhurst Parish Register show a Samuel son of William and Elizabeth, baptised on 19 July 1788.

The Name Sivyer

It should be noted, from the very commencement of this particular SIVYER HISTORY, that, the shipping records, have shown that the name SIVYER was spelt " SIVIER as well as SIVYER." This spelling appears frequently in all early records and further it has been proven that the name has been spelt in various ways.

For instance, it is on record that the name has been spelt thus: Sevier, Seviour, Sevyer, Siveyer, Sivier, Le Siviere and Sivyear. Early English Rolls also have it as Le Seuyare. 

Another researcher, Sally Wagstaff, provides the following information on the name SIVYER: "This English surname appears to have dual origin, first occupational referring to a maker of sieves, secondly patronymic referring to the name of the father of the initial bearer. The occupational origin, is derived from the name Sivier, from the old French for a sieve-maker. The name was introduced into Britian by the Norman French under William the Conqueror in the year 1066, and has settled and became anglicised with usage; the patronymic origin, deriving from the name Silvester cannot be overlooked although it is less likely than it's predecessor. Silvester is from the Old English, and Old German for "a wood", and was borne by three Popes, including a contemporary of Constantine the Great. Sivier and Sivyer would be West Midlands variants by pronunciation. The addition of surnames came into fashion in the thirteenth century when the population was expanding rapidly. There was a great movement from the countryside into the towns and villages, and it had besome necessary to be able to distinguish reliably between individuals for reasons including commerce, land transactions, and the need for public records.

The earliest written references to the name or a variant date back to the year 1273, when the Hundred Rolls from the county of Cambridge mentions the name Ralph Le Siviere, and the Calendariun Inquisitionum Post Mortem refers to one Peter Syvyre. In 1615 the Baptism of Susanna, daughter of John Sevier took place at St.James' Church, Clerkenwell, London, and the marriages of John Sieier to Francis Waud in 1793, and of Richard Sivyer to Francis Mattingley in 1798, were recorded at St.

George's church, Hanover Square, London."

Therefore it should be remembered, by any person making further investigations that there are various ways that the name has been spelt. However here in Australia, Sivyer seems to be the most common way to spell it, while in East Sussex it often appeared as Sivier and other forms.

Why Australia

FOREWORD

Around the turn of the 19th century the Australian Government was recruiting people from different walks of life to migrate to Australia in an endeavour to pioneer the country. Also there was a strong demand for a better type of person to come to Australia to offset the image of the convicts and their lawlessness.

An excellent resource on this topic and a very concise read that simply explains the social and cultural context of the period of time in history that the Sivyer families migrated to Australia can be found here.


The History of Immigration to Australia